When I Grow Up
by AriesBalorPrincess
Summary: A fifth grade paper has Wade telling Zoe what he wants to be when he grows up. An FBI Agent sent to save her. First kisses will be shared. But will the papers they wrote in fifth grade be the reality of their lives? This story is completely AU!
1. Chapter 1

**Just a little random one-shot that came to mind while I was reading some Prison Break stories. I hope you guys like this one. Enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Hart of Dixie.**

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"Zo, please don't make me read this to you," Wade begged, giving his best friend a pout. Even though George told him years ago that girls had cooties he was still best friends with Zoe. Cooties didn't scare him, not like Zoe did when she was mad.

"You heard mine," Zoe countered with her own pout.

"Yeah but," Wade sighed, rolling his eyes at his best friend in the world. "We all knew that you not only want to be a doctor but you will be a doctor when you grow up," he replied with a smug look. "Nothing new there, Zo."

"Yeah, but you didn't know what kind of doctor I'm going to be," Zoe pointed out with a triumphant smile on her face. Wade rolled his eyes yet again.

With a heavy sigh Wade got up to get the paper he had to write for his fifth grade English class. The very same paper he had to read to the class today while Zoe was home sick recovering from the flu she had come down with on Saturday. Zoe had read her paper on Friday.

"What I want to be when I grow up," Wade read with a groan, tossing his head back. "Zo, this is stupid," he complained. Zoe shook her head a twinkle in her eye, that's when he knew there was no way he was going to get out of this.

"Either you read it or I do," Zoe warned him, going to get up.

"Fine," he mumbled, glancing down at the paper in his hand, Zoe sat back down ready to hear what Wade had written.

 _"Agent Kinsella here, I have located the target," he said into his earpiece, one eye looking through the scope of his assault rifle._

 _"Take the shot when you can," the gruff voice came through the speaker loud in his ear._

 _Taking a deep breath Wade kept his gun pointed at the creep pacing around the lobby of the hotel, a gun waving wildly in the air as he made demands with the police. Lining his shot up Wade squeezed the trigger a bullet flying through the air leaving a tiny hole in the glass window, the bullet connecting with his intended target taking him down in an instant._

 _After the hectic day of taking the bad guys down Wade sat in his boss's office. He had already been praised for his excellent marksmanship. "Wade, you are one of our best agents." The smirk he wore proudly, he couldn't make it vanish no matter how hard he tried not that he was trying to begin with, when his boss kept praising him for his outstanding work in the field. "We need our best guy on this case," his boss Wally sighed, handing a folder over to him. "Zoe Hart is our number one priority. Her father Ethan has been blacklisted and she is the target," Wally informed him._

 _Wade groaned looking over the file on the_ _New York_ _doctor. He hated cases like this. Give him a target to kill and he was happy but protecting the rich was dreadful. They were always stuck up and full of themselves. He had to close his eyes to get rid of those terrifying memories surrounding the most powerful lawyer in the south George Tucker's fiancée Lemon Breeland. She was the most selfish women he had ever met. "Who's after Dr. Zoe Hart?" Wade asked looking up from the folder._

 _"Most of the_ _New York_ _mafia, I'm afraid," Wally sighed, leaning back in his chair. "We have over 2 dozen agents watching her but we need an inside man. We need you, Wade." He could hear the desperation in Wally's voice. There was no way Wade was about ready to turn this job down. For one he loved his work even watching over the rich wasn't the best perk of the job but it was better than nothing and secondly cases like this meant more money to fill his ever expanding bank account. "Once in_ _New York_ _Agent Hayes will give you the final briefing on their findings over the last month."_

 _"Okay," Wade said getting up._

 _"And Wade don't let your feelings get ahead of you this time," Wally told him sternly. Wade cringed walking out of his boss's office, the disaster that was Tansy stinging his numb mind. That had been bad, very bad. He let his lust get the best of him and he had nearly gotten himself killed. No his feelings were to have no part in this case._

 _The flight from sunny_ _California_ _to wet and cold_ _New York_ _flew by and before he knew it Lavon was leading him to the black SUV at the airport parking lot. He had a chance to go over Zoe Hart's file on the plane ride. He had gotten even more Intel when Lavon filled him in on the current well-being of Zoe. They had gotten most of the guys after her but there was still a few of them out there and they couldn't risk it, they needed someone to get close to Zoe._

 _"We need you to get inside her apartment to check everything out." Wade nodded at Lavon's words._

 _This was going to be easy._

 _"Who are you?" Zoe asked annoyed opening her door a crack, to see who was knocking at her door._

 _"Your new neighbor," Wade responded running a hand through his hair. "My cell is dead," he said holding his cell up for Zoe to see. "And I don't have a phone line hooked up yet so I was wondering if I could use your phone. I have an urgent call to make and it really can't wait," he pleaded with her._

 _"Why should I trust you?" Zoe asked. "I don't even know your name."_

 _"Wade Kinsella," he responded. "You can't," he simply told her with a shrug._

 _"Exactly," Zoe replied shutting the door. Wade sighed, digging into his pocket, pulling out his badge. He knocked again. "What?" Zoe sighed looking at Wade._

 _"I'm Agent Kinsella," he said using his professional voice, showing Zoe his ID and badge. "I need to come in and check the place over."_

 _Zoe let an amused smile cross her lips as she shut the door to unlock the chain lock. Zoe pulled the door open letting him enter her apartment. "You could have just told me the truth, Wade," she told him, shutting and locking her door. "I'm not stupid, I know I'm being watched by the FBI, I know the Mafia is after me," she filled in for him._

 _"I thought it would have been easier for us to be friends and not have it like I was hovering over you," Wade fished for an answer._

 _"No, you just would have come off as a crazy stalker," she laughed, feeling more at ease. She hated being on edge and with the mafia after you because your father owes them money, you were always on edge watching your back._

 _Wade had to look away. He promised himself that he wouldn't let his feelings get in the way but that one picture he had to look at didn't do her justice because with no makeup and messy hair she looked downright gorgeous and that little laugh that came from her mouth was the most beautiful music to his ears. "We couldn't have that," he chuckled. "I'm going to check the place out," he informed her. Zoe nodded sitting on the couch._

 _Hearing the knock on the door had Wade racing back to the living room, gun drawn. Zoe who was on her way to get the door and pay for her pizza sat back down finding this whole thing rather amusing. Wade looked through the peephole his body relaxing as he put his gun back in its holster._

 _"It's just the pizza guy," Wade announced, pulling money from his own pocket to buy the pizza. Zoe headed into the kitchen to get plates._

 _"You only paid for the pizza so you could have some," Zoe joked, handing him a plate after he had placed the pizza on the coffee table._

 _"How can I not with such pretty company," Wade smirked, taking a seat in one of the chairs. A light pink dusting covered her cheeks as she sat back down on the couch opening the pizza box up._

 _That night like many more to follow were done in a matter of them getting to know each other better all while Wade kept an eye on the people around Zoe. He had to admit that sitting countless hours at the hospital was not fun. So many people were able to walk through the doors and people were stationed at every door the hospital had. But Wade was right there inside getting a close up of Zoe in action. Of course it had taken some time to let her boss agree to it._

 _Over the weeks they had spent together without any threats from the mob boss Zoe and Wade were able to keep the lines of friendship clear to an outsider but it was becoming harder and harder for that line to blur inside their heads._

 _Wade hated the days that Zoe had to work the night shift. He was dragging his feet when Zoe got off at 6 in the morning. Little had been said between the two of them as Wade drove them back to the apartment building. Wade put his hand in front of Zoe drawing his gun out seeing the door to Zoe's apartment was open. He moved to his apartment ushering Zoe into his place as he did a sweep of Zoe's place._

 _"Freeze Jonah," Wade boomed keeping his target in sight, gun pointed at him. "Drop it," Wade demanded, talking about the gun in Jonah's hand. With the gun on the floor Wade walked up kicking the gun away from him._

 _With Jonah in cuffs Wade called down to Lavon. With Jonah being taken care of Wade went across the hall to his place to check on Zoe. Seeing her looking out the window made his nerves vanish._

 _"We're making a final sweep of your place to make sure nothing was planted. But after that you should be free to go home," Wade informed her._

 _"I'm actually thinking a vacation sounds lovely. Know of anywhere?" Zoe asked, turning to look at him._

 _"I do if I'm invited along," he smirked._

 _"Hmm I think that can be arranged," she smiled stepping closer to him._

 _"I know the perfect place," he whispered, cupping her face._

 _"Kiss me," she whispered in response._

 _Wade bent down letting his lips mix with hers._

"Jonah, really, Wade?" Zoe giggled. "Dr. Ethan Hart?"

"Well yeah, I remember things you tell me and you were all tore up when you had to move here in the in the third grade when you learnt that Ethan wasn't your real father," he explained, showing Zoe just how much he knew about her. "What? The last time he was here he stole my best friend away," he shrugged. Zoe giggled, rolling her eyes at her friend's jealousy.

"Hey Wade?" Zoe asked suddenly becoming shy, his green carpet suddenly becoming interesting.

"What's up Zo?" Wade asked growing concerned for his best friend.

"Have you um ya know," she was saying fumbling over her words.

"Have I what?" He asked half amused. Zoe never stumbled over her words.

"Ya know kissed anyone before?" She asked in a hushed whisper. Wade chucked softly.

"Zo I tell you everything and if I kissed a girl I would have told you." Zoe nodded her head.

"Have you like thought about kissing anyone?" She asked with a blush dusting her sun kissed cheeks.

"Maybe," Wade confirmed. "You?" He asked toeing at his carpet.

"Yeah," she answered shyly.

"I bet it's Tucker," he sneered. Zoe giggled shaking her head.

"Are you jealous?" She asked with a smile playing on her lips.

"No," he quickly answered. "Who is it then?" He was going through a list of potential people it could be in his head.

"I don't wanna say. You tell me first," she told him.

"Fine," he sighed. "You," he mumbled softly, hoping she wouldn't hear him but she had.

"I think about kissing you too," she responded shyly.

"Maybe we should kiss," Wade suggested moving closer to her.

"Yeah, maybe," she agreed, stepping closer to him. "On the count of three?" She suggested.

"1," Wade counted.

"2," Zoe counted.

Before either one could get to three Wade's lips were on hers for a total of five seconds. They pulled apart looking at each other before they broke out into a fit of laughter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Happy Halloween my lovely readers!**

 **This has been in the works for a while now. I was curious on how Wade and Zoe would react to their little kiss and this came out. I hope you guys like it. Enjoy.**

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"What's going on with you and Wade?" Annabeth asked on the walk home from school the following day.

"Nothing, I have no idea where you ever got that there was ever anything wrong," Zoe replied fidgeting with the straps on her backpack. She had tried to act cool that morning when Jesse and Wade showed up at her house to start the trek to school. Awkwardness had ensued.

"Because you two are always glued together and today you wouldn't even look at him, heck you wouldn't even talk to him," AB pointed out. "Was it a fight?"

"We didn't fight," Zoe replied, shaking her head, chewing on her lip.

"Then I don't get it," AB huffed, stopping in front of Zoe's house. Zoe looked around before she grabbed her best friend's arm and pulled her upstairs to her room. Zoe shoved AB onto her bed shutting the door after she made sure that her dad hadn't followed her upstairs. "Zoe, you're starting to scare me here," AB said frantically all while keeping a very close eye on her best friend.

"We kissed," Zoe blurted out. "And now things are just weird between us," Zoe sighed falling back on her bed looking up at that ceiling.

"You kissed Wade?" AB squealed, turning to look at her friend. Zoe nodded her face red. "Why?" AB asked seeing Zoe wasn't as thrilled with the whole kissing thing as she was.

"I made him read me the paper he wrote about what he wanted to be. And in the paper we kissed and that brought on the topic of kissing and we just kissed to get it over with. And now I realize just how stupid that was because we're only in the fifth grade," Zoe ranted. She had more to say but AB laughing made her stop. "I'm so happy you find this whole thing funny," Zoe snapped with annoyance at her friend.

"You like him don't you?" AB asked. Zoe shook her head.

"He's my best friend, has been since he pushed me in the mud when we were 5 and I threw mud at him. There is no way that I like him more than a friend," Zoe replied with a sigh.

"There is," AB declared.

"Not possible," Zoe stated. "Could there be?" She asked after a long silence.

"Yes," AB told her. "He's your best friend Zo, that doesn't mean you can't have a crush on him. George and Jesse are your friends but do you have the need to kiss them?"

"No, but I didn't have the need to kiss Wade until he read that stupid paper," Zoe huffed. "Besides a first kiss should be special not a kiss just to get it over with," Zoe sighed sitting up.

"You may not see it yet Zoe, but your kiss with Wade will be special," AB assured her. Zoe looked at her friend like she didn't believe a word she had said. "You'll see," AB said getting up. "Now I need to get home."

"AB, promise me you won't say anything to anyone about my kiss with Wade?" Zoe asked in a pleading matter.

"I promise," AB said, flourishing out the door. Zoe sighed falling back on the bed.

Across town Wade was about ready to not only punch his friend but find something to use against his brother to get him grounded. They just wouldn't shut up. Jesse knew the second he saw Zoe exit her house, blushing like a mad woman seeing Wade who seemed to be more interested in the ground than his best friend that something had transpired between the two of them. The whole walk to school before they parted ways was Jesse finding something to talk about.

"Would you two just shut up," Wade growled. "I didn't get into a fight with Zoe," he hissed, eating a fry off the plate sitting in the middle of the table at the Rammer Jammer.

"Something is going on with you two," George mussed. "So what is it?" He questioned taking a fry himself.

"You guys never shut up in the morning on the walk to school and this morning I had to come up with every topic discussed and neither one of you were even paying attention. I could see the awkwardness a mile away. What happened last night in your room?" Jesse questioned, looking at his little brother. Wade glanced out the window.

"Nothin'," he said.

"Oh no," Jesse said, leaning on the table. "Everything was good and when she had to leave last night, you two gave one of the weirdest most awkward hugs I've ever seen," Jesse chuckled.

"Now we're getting something," George said. "Did you notice anything else?" He asked, looking across the table at Jesse.

"Nope," he said popping his 'p'. "But it had to be something major," Jesse mussed, pointing a fry at Wade.

"We kissed," Wade muttered, keeping his gaze out the window.

"What?" George asked, choking on his soda, which he had just sucked through the straw.

"Sweet innocent Zoe kissed you?" Jesse smirked.

"Yes," Wade stated, looking at his brother. "Why wouldn't she?" He asked offended.

"Because Zoe doesn't go around kissing guys, heck you don't go around kissing girls either, you're a fifth grader," Jesse said.

"For like 7 more months," Wade stated.

Jesse laughed shaking his head. "Why kiss her?"

"That stupid paper and heck if I know," Wade said, leaning back in his seat. "It just felt right," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Neither one of you can be talking," Wade smarted off. George and Jesse looked at him with curious looks on their faces. "Jesse you kissed Emily in the fourth grade," Wade smirked.

"That was a dare," Jesse argued back, "it doesn't count." Wade rolled his eyes eating a fry, turning his attention on his best friend.

"What?" George asked, swallowing the lump in this throat.

"How old were you when you kissed Lemon?" Wade asked. "I believe if ask your brother he'll tell me it was when you were 5 playing in the kiddy pool in your backyard."

"Hank doesn't know anything," was George's rebuttal.

"Yeah, okay," Wade laughed getting up. "You losers can pay for the fries and the drinks, I'm out of here," Wade announced walking off. He had one place in mind and he needed to get this awkwardness between them squashed right away.

After a few quick words with Harley, he was let free to go up to Zoe's room with the promise of keeping the door open while they were inside her room. Wade walked into her room a laugh playing on his lips as articles of clothing came flying out of the closest at him. "What are you doing?" He asked some of his laughter coming out.

"Dad refuses to buy me another Halloween costume when I'm always the same thing," Zoe called back. "Said I could find a suitable one to wear in my closest," she added on walking out of her closest.

"By the looks of things, you can't find anything," he smirked. "I don't remember this?" He said holding up a shirt. Zoe rolled her eyes.

"That's because it's Lemon's," Zoe answered, tossing the shirt back into her closest. "What am I going to do? The Halloween dance is this Friday night and Saturday night we're going trick or treating and I don't have a costume. What are you going as?" Zoe asked walking around her room to pick her clothes up.

"FBI agent," he smirked. "You okay?" He asked seeing Zoe freeze.

"Uh yeah," she told him turning around slowly and giving him a fake smile.

"I know you better than that. What's wrong?" He asked, plopping himself down on her bed. "Is it the kiss?" He asked. Zoe nodded her head. "It really wasn't anything, Zo."

"That's where you're wrong Wade," Zoe huffed, tossing the clothes in her hand up in the air, making Wade laugh. "A first kiss is everything," she told him with a sigh. "I'm happy that it was you," she told him, sitting on her bed next to him. "I just hate how weird things are between us now."

"They weren't weird a moment ago, not until we think about the kiss," Wade told her. Zoe nodded her head.

"So what we don't think about the kiss?" She asked. Wade shrugged.

"I'm not really sure, Zo. I do know that I hate things being this awkward between us."

"Me too, Wade, me too," Zoe responded.

As the days passed them by, things got easier for Wade and Zoe. There were times that Wade would catch Zoe blushing when he looked at her. The more he thought about it the more he was happy that his first kiss was with his best friend, because to him and not that he would ever say anything to anyone ever, his kiss with Zoe meant something special to him.

The night of the dance approached quickly and Zoe smiled seeing the new doctor costume on her bed. _'Because you're gonna be the best doctor, like ever!'_ Zoe laughed at the messy note that was lying on top of the costume. Kiss or no kiss Wade was her best friend and she had no reason to have this awkwardness between them.

After getting the run down from her dad, she was free to go. Walking outside she saw that her group of friends with Jesse and Hank were waiting for her. Zoe ran up to Wade and hugged him tight, thanking him for her costume. Wade shrugged it off, saying that it was nothing even if he had spent all the allowance he had been saving up for to buy a new guitar on it for her.

They weren't going to let one little kiss that held so much keep them from being the friends they were before it ever happened. Tonight they were going to have fun and eat way too much candy and popcorn balls, they were going to bob for apples and they were going to hold onto each other when they went through the haunted house, Wade more so for Zoe than himself, and they were going to laugh when they just so happen to get lost in the maze. A kiss wasn't going to tear their friendship to shreds, no it was only going to make their friendship stronger and mean more to them than it ever did before.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: I've been messing around with this chapter for quite some time now and it would be a shame not to post it and share it with all of you. I do have roughly two more chapters for this story planned out, it's just a matter of time of getting around to writing them. That's why this story has changed from complete to in-progress.**_

 _ **Please do enjoy this little chapter.**_

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Over their awkward teen years they had became best friends watching as the other one started to date, keeping their jealousy at bay. It wasn't until a football game when Zoe cheered for Wade and went to him first that her own boyfriend got fed up with Zoe putting Wade first that he walked up to them and broke up with Zoe in front of Wade and then turned and punched Wade breaking his nose. Wade not caring about his broken nose but rather Zoe's broken heart punched the guy back. It was the coaches that pulled the boys apart. Zoe then proceeded to help Wade back to her house, nobody was home at his house and her father was one of the town doctors.

After that night they had decided that no relationship was worth what they had just gone through. Over the last three years of high school they had grown close. To their peers they were dating but to them they were close friends that shared everything together. They never felt the need to tell anyone any different. To them it didn't matter what others thought of them, they knew the truth and that was what truly mattered.

Graduation had quickly came leaving them going in two different directions. Wade was headed off for training camp following in his brother's footsteps and Zoe was off to medical school. It was going to be a challenge to remain close but they were going to try, determined to make it work.

The first year of college saw Zoe freak out on more than one occasion and it wasn't always about school, but related more to Wade. Phone calls and emails were shared. They had spent days off in Bluebell being more touchy than normal and wrapped up in one another more than ever before.

That summer it was just the two of them as Zoe would go back to school and Wade was headed overseas. It was a tearful goodbye when the time came. The day Zoe wasn't looking forward to came; ready to tear the two best friends apart, though on more than one occasion over the summer they had crossed that line of friendship and it had scared Zoe because she couldn't lose Wade as a friend, he meant too much to her.

"You have quite the looker asking for you." Zoe looked up at her roommate. No one was coming to see her. She had just gotten back a week ago from winter break, everyone she could see she had seen and with Wade she wasn't really sure when he'd back for a visit. "I hope he looks just as sexy out of the uniform," she winked.

A smile took over Zoe's face dropping the pen in her hand she ran out the door. The second she spotted him it felt like she was flying through the air. He caught her mid flight swinging her around, a musical laugh falling from their lips.

"What are you doing here?" She asked when her feet hit solid ground.

"I'm on leave. Thought I'd come see you before heading to Bluebell." He caught the blush that rose to her cheeks. He thought it was cute downright adorable. "You can make time for me right?" He checked, tossing an arm over her shoulders.

"Of course. I have one test tomorrow and I'll be free the rest of the weekend," she assured him. "I'll be done with that before you ever get out of bed in the morning," she added on, stopping at her dorm.

"I wasn't worried about that, Zo," he husked into her ear, pushing her up against the door. "Is that roommate of yours in?" He questioned, his lips lightly sucking on her neck.

"N...n...no," she stammered out, her eyes falling shut at the sensation that Wade was bringing to the surface.

"Good," he smirked, pulling away from her. "I'll get us some food while you finish studying for that test tomorrow," he chuckled seeing the disappointment appear on her face.

Staying concentrated on her school work wasn't an easy feat when there was a half naked guy whom was her best friend and something more laying on her bed. She had caught herself staring at him more than once, her thoughts running away from her. He would feel her eyes on him and he would look her direction a sexy smirk on his face, his eyes asking her what was going on. Zoe would then shake her head and look back down at her book. Only about 5 minutes later she would be back staring at Wade.

"What, Zo?" Wade asked flicking the TV off, he could see that something other than school work was on her mind and he would be a horrible friend if he didn't get to the bottom of what that was.

"Nothing," she told him shaking her head, looking back down at the words spread out before her. Wade got up from the bed, took her hand in his and pulled her up and over to the bed.

"Something is going on and as your best friend on plant earth I'd like to know what that is," he prompted her with a smile filled with concern.

She nodded her head, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth, her teeth lightly biting down as she thought her words over carefully. "I like our time together Wade. You're my best friend, but I want more than what we have going on here with this whole friends with benefits thing." It had been easy to agree to that because she didn't want to lose him, she had fallen for him and she'd be devastated if he wasn't in her life in some capacity. "And I know it's hard with both of us in different places but I can't help the way I feel," she confessed, looking down. "I don't expect things to change between us, but that's how I feel and I know you more than likely don't feel the same way and that's okay because I can do this whole best friend thing, I can learn to control my jealousy when it comes to you," she rambled on, only stopping when she heard him chuckle under his breath. "What?" She asked daring to look up at him seeing the amusement on his face.

"I feel the same way, Zo. It's going to be harder for us," he told her.

"You do? How so?" Zoe asked. "I don't do anything with any other guy, it's always been you and it felt weird to agree to go out with a guy when all I could think about was you," she told him.

"I'd be crazy not to feel like that about you. I've had these feelings since that day in Fifth grade that we kissed, I've just been pushing it aside because I didn't want to ruin what we had," he confessed. "Really?" He questioned. "I thought you'd find someone to spend time with at all those college parties you went to."

"What parties?" She questioned looking dumbfounded. "I went to one party Wade the rest I skipped out on to get my studying done. I was never a big fan of the parties they throw around here. Who told you I was at parties?"

"Your roommate," he answered her. "I did think it was strange," he told her, shaking his head a bit. "But Zoe I know how that feels because I was doing the same. I would think it would be fine and I'd flirt with them but I would quickly notice that things were wrong with them because they weren't you and nothing would come of it," he told her being as honest with the one woman he trusted with his heart.

"So if you think about it," Zoe smiled ready to share her thoughts with him. "It's like we're dating already, technically," she told him the smile on her face growing.

"But we weren't," he confirmed making her frown. "But we can," he told her with a smile.

"We can?" She questioned him, moving closer to him. Wade nodded, pulling her face to his own. "I like that," she giggled, closing her eyes as his teeth scraped against her neck. "This test is for anatomy," she giggled, her hands trailing over his abs.

"Then do let me help," Wade smirked, reaching down to pull the tank top she was wearing over head, tossing it to the floor.

* * *

"What's on your mind, baby?" Wade asked, his fingers strumming against her spine, his eyes still closed from sleep.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she told him softly, taking a breath ready to tell him what was on her mind. "You do understand that this is going to be hard, harder than it was when we were friends, right?" Zoe asked, her head resting on his bare chest. Just like she had thought, she had went to her one class for the day, taken her test which she was sure she aced and made it back to her dorm before Wade had woken up. She had laid in his embrace, not able to go back to sleep.

"You didn't," he told her, dropping a lingering kiss to her crown. "Can't be any harder than it already is. Now I don't have to worry about you being with some random frat guy," he responded with pushing those thoughts right out of his mind, the jealousy staying put.

"Not that I would even think about dating a frat guy," she replied moving to look at him. "And I don't have to worry about you finding some sleazy bimbo," she said, moving to straddle him. "But I do have to worry about you. What you do is dangerous," she sighed.

"And I'll be worried about you because I won't be here to protect you. I've got your safety to worry about as well, but if I know anything it's that we'll be okay," he assured her, his hands resting on her hips. "We're in this together, Zo. Nothing changes that fact, except now I get to brag about my amazingly sexy soon to be doctor girlfriend," he smirked, his hands going under the shirt of his she was wearing.

"Yeah well I get to brag about my hot as hell military boyfriend," she remarked a small moan escaping her soft and plump lips, as he flipped them over.

They had learned long ago that together the world was theirs for the taking. It was going to be hard, but it couldn't do them harm if they didn't let it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Just one more chapter to go and I have it all planned out. Hopefully I can have that up by the end of next week. Not wanting to give to much away, I really like how I wrote the vows in this chapter because I haven't read a story where that's been done before and I wanted to try it out and I really like it so I hope you all like how I had done it. Enjoy!**

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She thought it was absolutely crazy that she stood here with her family and friends. She had come along way since she had left school. She spent two and a half years working in New York at what she thought was her dream job, which turned out to be all wrong for so many reasons, her dream job was to be at the practice in her hometown. She had many fights with Wade, broke up on more than one occasion but they had always worked things out. Without him she wouldn't be where she was today or be the person she is, he had always been there pushing and cheering her on. She had been the same way when it came to him and he may not have made it to the FBI like he had once wrote about, but he was happy with where his life had taken him. He may not be wearing business suits and protecting one person at a time but instead he was protecting a whole town when Sheriff Bill decided it was time he retired, Wade taking over.

The music was cut with Annabeth's voice getting the attention of everyone around them. "I've know Zoe and Wade since we were all little. Zoe's been my best friend for as long as I can remember," she went on to say, sharing a smile with Zoe. "The only two people in this room that didn't know they were made for each other was Wade and Zoe, until that day they figured it out years ago and it's been an uphill battle and I didn't know if we'd get here to see this. But we did," she smiled, watching her best friend and her newly crowned husband wrapped up in each other's arms in their own little happy bubble. "We know this is where they add a new chapter in their story, but I know the story of how it started back in the fifth grade. They day were dreams had been made and where two kids shared their first kiss, the day the universe gave them one more hint that it was meant to be." She could see the proud smirk Wade wore and the dim light the moon and tea lights gave off that Zoe's face was flush. "It may have taken them a little longer to see what we do, but they got it sorted out even if a fight did ensue in high school," she giggled. "You're both dear friends of mine and I couldn't be any happier for either one of you, to Wade and Zoe," she said holding her glass of wine up.

Wade and Zoe were hugging AB when Jesse took over the spot AB was just at. Wade shared a look with his wife. He had no idea what his brother was going to say; he was just a little scared that Jesse would say something embarrassing about the both of them. And today was about Zoe as much as she told him it was about them. He wanted today to be about her, it was her wedding day after all. He had messed up enough days for her in the past, days he regretted and days he had to wonder why she ever took him back. _Because I love you_ floated around in his head, bringing a big smile to the surface.

"Wade you've always been my annoying little pest of a brother, my best friend because I couldn't find anyone who was like you," he said shaking his head with a smile. "Zoe I would like to think that we're friends even if by association after all these years. I've helped you both more than once when it came to the other one. And I for one am more than happy that you both wised up and saw the love that was waiting for you with each other. Dealing with a grumpy and jealous brother was never fun, he always thought he missed his chance with you and I repeatedly told him to stick in there and don't let her go without a fight, it's good to know you listened to your brother," Jesse joked earning a few laughs. "I'm happy you two found each other and remember through everything that one thing you guys have that will make every fight worth it is the love you share, take care of my brother Zoe and Wade don't screw this up," Jesse smirked. "To my brother and now my sister, Wade and Zoe," Jesse cheered, holding his bottle of beer up.

With Jesse being done music once again filled the silent void. Zoe pulled Wade onto the dance floor. "Have I told you just how beautiful you look?" He asked softly, as they moved together with the slow song that was being played.

"Have I told you how amazing you look?" She questioned him. Smirking he brushed his lips against hers. "You're mom talked to me, told me she was happy I was now her daughter and not to hurt you and when we fight to make sure we solve the problem before going to bed," she told him.

"Then we're even because your dad talked to me and informed me that I'd be a dead man if I ever left you, which will not happen," he told her serioulsy. "Then he welcomed me into the family with open arms."

Zoe giggled, moving closer to her husband so she could rest her head on his shoulder. Today had been one filled with magic and lots of love. She was happy that she could share her wedding day with her friends and family. Thrilled that Wade was the guy that she had meet at the end of the aisle, she felt like a queen when he looked at her with love filled eyes.

"Love is like a wild river, shifting in ways unimaginable, creating rifts between two separate calms to spice it up, that's us. Two different people bringing love to the surface, two rocky surfaces, smoothing out for love. You are many things, my best friend, the person I hate the most when the time calls but most importantly you've been my rock without ever knowing it, I find it hard to believe that I'd be me without you. I don't love you because you make love easy, I love you because you make me better, you make me work for the things I want, I love you because loving you is the only thing I know I won't fail at," she whispered his vows back to him. Hearing those words come from him earlier in the day, made her chest tighten, made her forget the world around them. His vows would always stick with her.

"Like a tidal wave, you came crashing into my life, leaving behind an impression, one filled with love. I can't begin to think of anyone I would want to spend my life with because they're not you. Our lives are only beginning and I couldn't be with a better person than you. You didn't take my heart, you captivated it, kept it safe, kept me safe. Through every little fight and some big ones, it was you that made things better. I love you because you know who I am; I love you not because I need to but because I want to love you. It's been your love that's shown me the way, your love that's guided me down the path I chose because you never lost the faith that I could make my dreams a reality, even when I wanted to quit. You gave me love and filled me with hope. Today I start working on a new dream with you. My heart is yours, where it will forever be safe," he said with a soft smile, repeating the very words she had spoken to him earlier.

Sharing a loving kiss with your bride with most the town there to watch, wasn't ideal but there was no way they couldn't share a kiss after repeating the others vows.

It was later in the night and Zoe was talking with Jesse's lovely date Cati. "I can only hope that I find someone who loves me as much as Wade loves you," she commented.

Smiling Zoe looked from the woman in front of her to Jesse. "Honey, you already have. Jesse looks at you like you've hung the moon," she assured her. "He may be a little rough around the edges but Jesse is a good guy," she added on.

"He can be sweet when he wants to be," Cati smiled. "You really think he looks at me that way?" She asked a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

"Have you seen the way my husband," she paused to smile at calling Was her husband, "has looked at me today?" She questioned. Cati nodded, even a blind person could see the looks the newly wed couple had shared. "That's the same look my brother is giving you right now," Zoe told her.

"Ladies," Jesse greeted hugging Zoe, slipping his arm around his girlfriend. "Do you mind if I steal my girl?" He asked.

"I don't mind but I'm not sure what the law would say to that, so I won't inform my cop of a husband that you came along and stole Cati," she remarked with a small laugh.

"You are such a dork, Zo. No wonder why you and my brother are perfect for each other," Jesse replied shaking his head, leading his girlfriend to the dance floor.

Zoe smiled watching her husband laugh as he danced with George and Lemon's little girl Esmeralda. He caught her eye and sent her a grin. She was pretty happy with where her life was and she wouldn't change that for anything in the world.


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter wraps up this little story that had started out as a one-shot. I hope you all enjoy the final chapter. Thank you to those of you that have taken the time to read and review. Thank you to those that have followed and favorited this one. Enjoy!**

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"Mom can we talk?" Daughter asked her mom softly nervous while they made cookies, black and white cookies and chocolate chips added in, blending together her parent's favorite cookies.

"What's on your mind?" Zoe asked. To see her daughter looking so nervous and a little worried about whatever was going on inside her head, worried Zoe. She had assured her daughter from a young age that she could tell her anything.

"Remember Louis?" Meredith asked her mom. Zoe nodded her head, how could she not, Louis practically lived at their house over the summer. He was her daughter's best friend much like Wade had been hers when she was her daughter's age. "Yesterday after school we were hanging out in the center of town and Emily dared him to kiss me and he did and mom I'm scared," Meredith quickly explained her voice filled with panic.

"I know this is scary at your age," Zoe started to say handing her daughter a gooey warm cookie. "You have a mix of emotions surging through you and you don't even know how to act around him the next time you see him," she went on to say, handing her daughter a cup of milk. "But the best thing to do is talk to Louis, he feels the same way, I'm sure of it," Zoe said, recalling the faint emotions she had felt when she had kissed Wade for the first time.

"I know but that was my first kiss from a boy other than Dad and…" She trailed off pulling the cookie apart.

"You wanted it to be special, to mean the world to you," Zoe filled in the blanks.

"Yeah and that was taken away because of a stupid dare," she hissed.

"Sweetie," Zoe said softly, placing her hand on her daughter's arm. "It's special, a dare doesn't change that. I know you're scared and not sure what it means, but Louis is still going to be your friend after this and if anything it will bring you guys closer together knowing that you can talk about and handle the bigger things in life. Do you have feelings for him, not friend feelings either, but feelings that you care about him in ways you haven't been able to feel for anyone else?" She asked.

"I have eyes, Mom," Meredith stated with a small eye roll. "Louis is cute and I thought I liked him as my best friend cause he's the best person for the job, but I guess after some of things he's done over the last month, I have a crush on him and I know I'm young but you and Dad," she pointed out.

"I'm with you on this, sweetie," Zoe assured her. "After that kiss with your dad I was afraid of admitting my true feelings for him because I thought I was too young to have feelings like that for boys and in the next year or so your feelings towards boys are going to change and you're going to be dating them much to your dad's dismay," Zoe smiled. "And if you think you like Louis on that level then you need to make sure he knows it and you can't be mad if he doesn't feel the same way you do, it's not a reason to ruin your friendship with him, okay?" Zoe asked her daughter.

"Yeah, thanks mom and can we not tell dad about this? We both know how he'll handle it," she pleaded with her mom. Her dad had freaked out when he learned that her best friend was a boy; she didn't want another lecture from him. She still didn't think he was over that.

"That's going to be hard," Zoe told her daughter, nodding behind her.

"Why didn't you want me to know?" Wade asked as calm as could be walking into the kitchen. He had stayed back out of the way letting mother and daughter have their chat, he had every intention to walk away and leave them be, he knew Zoe would fill him in later but he found that it was a bit harder to walk away when his baby girl was talking about boys and kissing.

"Because you're well you," Meredith stated, looking up at her dad. "And you'll make this into something it's not."

"But you shouldn't go around letting boys kiss you whether it's a dare or not, you can't give people the wrong ideas about you," he explained.

"What idea is that Dad?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"Don't you mind that," Wade told her, shaking his head. "You're my little girl and you can't be kissing boys yet," he scolded her.

"I'm not your baby though, I can be your little girl but I have to grow up dad, you need to let me spread my wings," she told him.

"Says who?" Wade asked in mock shock. "You are going to be my little girl forever and that means no kissing and no boyfriends," he stated. "You're only 11," he pointed out.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Meredith huffed. "Esmeralda had a boyfriend at my age." She couldn't understand why her dad couldn't see that she wasn't a baby anymore, she was growing up.

"Does Esmeralda live here?" Wade asked his daughter. He loved his daughter, spent all the time he could with her. She loved sports and she loved all things girly, her only flaw that Wade was able to see was that she took after them and it may not have been a bad thing but he didn't want his little girl to be going around and kissing anyone. Not all stories worked out like the one he had with his wife.

"No," she sighed. "It was a little kiss nothing more, dad, no biggie," she replied, getting up from the kitchen table. "I don't get why it's okay for you two to go around kissing each other at my age but I can't, hypocrites much?" She asked storming up to her room.

"I don't want my little girl's heart to be broken," Wade sighed. "Why does growing up have to be so hard?"

Zoe smiled and moved over to sit on her husband's lap. "You can't protect her forever, Wade. You have to let her grow up and in order for her to find the perfect guy for her, she needs to deal with a few broken hearts so she can find the one guy out there that can fix it for her. You're not going to lose her, she's always going to need us no matter the age," Zoe softly explained, kissing his temple. "She's really confused about that kiss because Louis is her best friend and she thinks she might like him, you remember how that is don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," Wade sighed, his head resting on his wife's shoulder. "I'll go talk to her," he said, kissing his wife.

Zoe smiled and went back to the cookies that needed to be placed in the oven. It wasn't easy to watch your little girl grow up before your eyes, she was going to remain their little baby girl they brought home from the hospital, but she was growing up and she knew just how hard that was hitting her husband when the realization hit him firmly in the face.

"Mer bear," Wade said, slowly pushing his daughter's bedroom door open. "Can I talk to you?" He asked seeing his daughter sitting on her bed, sketchpad in hand.

"If you're going to tell me that going around and kissing boys is bad, then you can leave," she replied, looking up at him.

"That is bad, but not why I'm here," he said, moving the desk chair closer to his daughter's bed. "I'm sorry for the way I acted, but you're my little girl and the thought of you getting older and growing up is scary. I've always been the number one guy in your life and I know at some point that is going to change but I do believe that you're too young to be kissing boys, you have years to find your prince charming or whoever and you don't have to start now," he told her.

"I guess I can understand that, but you have to know dad, I'm going to need you, look at mom, she still needs grandpa and you need grandpa and grandma, growing up doesn't mean I ditch my parents," she replied. "But I'm scared dad," she told him, chewing her lip.

"Louis would be stupid if he stopped being your friend because of this kiss, Mer bear. You're special and even he knows just how special you are, the sooner you talk to him the better you will feel about it all, don't let it drag on to long because you don't know what will happen then," he told her. He didn't want his daughter to ruin a friendship because of a kiss or a dare that would be really lame in his book. Letting his daughter spread her wings so she could grow as much as he wanted to be against it he had to let her go out there and figure things out on her own, he couldn't always be there to hold her hand, the only good thing about it, he'd be there waiting for her when she needed him.

"I know it's a long shot for things to work out with Louis like they did for you and mom and I'd be okay with that as long as I have Louis as a friend," she told her dad. "Thank you," she smiled jumping on him for a hug.

"You're welcome, Meredith," he replied hugging his daughter tight.

 **12 years later**

"Remember that me and your mom love you and even though you're getting married, we'll be here for you," Wade told his daughter as he got ready to walk her down the aisle.

"I love you too dad," she smiled, blinking the tears away yet again.

"I know I've never shown that I like Kody, but sweetie he's the lucky one here and I don't for a second doubt that this isn't meant to be with him. The thing I admire most about him is the way he loves you and no matter what he's doing he's making sure you're safe and protected, that he'd drop everything he's doing to be with you, that's love and I'm happy you found it with such a great man, Mer bear," Wade told her.

"Thanks daddy," she replied, standing up straight when the music changed. "And for the record he's always been just a little scared of you," Meredith laughed.

"We'll keep it that way," Wade smirked and started to walk his little girl down the aisle to where her future husband and new life was waiting for her.

Things with Louis hadn't worked out, they remained the best of friends, tried dating a time or two but each time they came to the same conclusion they were better off as friends, the best of friends actually. Louis was the one standing up there with her. The only person she wanted next to her when she married Kody was Louis and the love of her life was okay with that because the only person Kody wanted next to him was his best friend Cheyenne. Things have a funny way of working out.


End file.
